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Inherited Hasselblad: Stuck Winding Crank

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BigBenJammin

Member
I recently inherited my father's 501cm with an 80 mm CB lens. I have never used a Hasselblad before so I purchased the 6th edition of "The Hasselblad Manual" by Ernst Wildi so I could understand what I am dealing with. I began exploring the camera only to find that the Winding Crank will not move except for a slight wiggle back and forth as if locked. I got the camera to prerelease and then release, but now it is stuck in that mode. On the back, there reads a "1" for the number of pictures taken and a red dot to indicate the film has been exposed and needs to be advanced. And here lies my problem. It seems that because the film needs to be advanced the back will not come off and the mirror stays up. I checked the Manual and Wildi says in one part: "to remove the winding crank, push the locking lever downwards..." (pg. 80). Now I am not trying to remove the winding crank but the mention of a locking lever has me worried as I see no locking lever present on the winding crank. I would much rather fix this myself then have to send it somewhere and pay a buttload of cash. Am I missing a a locking lever or just being an idiot? Any information would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Beadyeye

Member
As a recent buyer of a 500CM, I understand your angst. I am no Hasselblad guru, but provided you follow the basic rules, there shouldn't be a problem. First, is there a film in the camera? You can tell by looking at the crescent shaped indicator on the left hand side of the film back - if it has a film in and is on frame 1, the crescent shape should be all white, but will progressively change to red as the film is exposed. Even with an empty camera, you can only wind and fire the shutter 12 times on a 12-on back before the camera won't wind on - this is from memory, as my camera is loaded at present! To remove the magazine, you need the dark slide - do you have that? If so, insert it and remove the magazine. Both the magazine and the camera should have the same colour indicators - if the mag has red and the camera body is white, fire the camera after removing the back, attach the mag and wind the crank. Both indicators should then be white. If the mag is white and the camera body indicator is red, again remove the back and then wind the crank. The status colour will then be white and will match the back. Re-attach the back, remove the darkslide and you should be good to go.

I hope I am not telling you something you already know and tried. If all this doesn't work, a trip to a Hasselblad repairer might be needed. Apparently, the 500 series are tough as old boots, but the one area where damage can be caused is in lens removal - both the camera and lens needs to be cocked before removal. If you have the manual, this is pretty clearly stated.

Good luck - let me know how you get on.

Ray
 
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Beadyeye

Member
By the way, as far as I know, there is no locking lever on the wind-on crank - and you certainly do not need to remove the crank to resolve your problem. In my post above, the reference to the wind on crank is for the large crank handle, not the small crank on the film mag.

Ray
 
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BigBenJammin

Member
There is no film in the camera. Before I tried releasing the shutter I took the magazine off and the view finder just to look around. I have now removed the magazine but one thing I guess might be because i have an older version, but there is no indicator on the body of the camera. Only on the magazine has an indicator, which is red. I was able to get the camera into prerelease mode and then i proceeded to release it and thus the shutter on the lens is closed. So it seems i have taken a picture (without film), but the winding crank will not turn. I did take the lens off while I was first examining the camera. Could this be why the crank is locked? Also, the crank is stuck in a position where the red dot on the body lines up with the large arrow on the winding crank. Also, after I "took a picture", because the winding crank was stuck, I wound the small crank on the magazine. Should this make a difference?
 
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Beadyeye

Member
To be clear, the magazine has two indicators - the crescent shaped one on the left side and the other on the lower right side. It is the one on the right side that should be matched with a similar one on the body - they should both be showing the same colour - if not, you need to follow my instructions in my first post to correct that. Please tell me what colour that body indicator is showing - red or white? As far as I know, all V series cameras operate the same 2 small circular indicators.

Ray
 
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BigBenJammin

Member
GREAT UPDATE!!!! I was stupidly toying around with the barn doors, the camera gave a satisfying click and the mirror dropped down. I then proceeded to attempt to take a picture and voila! Release and wind! Not to sure what was wrong in the end but I'm guessing the barn doors got held up on something or missed a lever/switch to enact the wind. Either way I'm happy that I didnt destroy my father's Hasselblad! Thanks for all the help!
 
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Beadyeye

Member
Our posts crossed - I got your last one after I had posted the 'hang on' one. No sure what you mean by the barn doors - do you mean the back shutter? This opens first when you press the shutter, then the shutter in the lens fires and lastly, the back shutter closes. This is why if you hold your finger on the release with the faster speeds it sounds as if you have selected a very long exposure. I will look at the window issue and report back, but in the meantime, go to
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if you do not have the manual. This covers the 501CM too.

Ray
 
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BigBenJammin

Member
Yes i do mean the back shutter. I believe they were in the closed position when they should have been open, which gave the camera some confusion. I moved the back shutter and then fired the camera and it is working now.
 
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Beadyeye

Member
The back shutter should always be closed in normal use, except when firing the shutter, so when you take the back off, the shutter will be closed. I missed out a step in the firing of the shutter -see the article about the 500CM at
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The 501CM is similar in the sequence. The article is an interesting read.

If the back shutter is sticking, then the camera ought to be serviced. What part of the world do you live?
 
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BigBenJammin

Member
I guess the back shutter may have gotten stuck, but it seems to be working alright now. I'm from new york and found a few people who service around me so if I keep running into the same problem I might take a drive.
 
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Beadyeye

Member
Good. As soon as I saw the word 'gotten' I knew you from across the pond. Persevere with the camera - it might be totally different to anything you have used before, but just framing an image in that wonderful big viewfinder might convert you.

Best wishes

Ray
 
Hass451

Hass451

Active Member
I've found that David Odess (David-Odess.com) is a superb and honest repair person for the 500-series Hasselblads. As noted above, these cameras are incredibly durable, but anything with that many moving parts deserves a good CLA (Clean, Lube, Adjust) every once in a while. You will fall in love with the Hasselblad system. I've been shooting with Hasselblad equipment since 1966, and I have NEVER had an equipment failure while on a shoot. Now you need to start building your lens collection!
 
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